A Tense Debate Erupts at the G7, This Time Over Abortion Rights

The leaders of the G7 had plenty to discuss — and disagree about — at their annual meeting in Italy. Two major wars, in Gaza and Ukraine. One hefty loan for Ukraine. And then there was abortion rights.

Officials familiar with the talks over the Group of 7’s final communiqué — essentially a statement of all the leaders agreed on — say the wording on reproductive rights came down to a diplomatic tug of war, primarily between the United States and Italy, the host of the meeting.

Several officials say the debate centered on a request by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy not to include the words “abortion” and “reproductive rights” in the statement. The Italian government has denied that it intended to backtrack on the commitment to protecting access to safe abortions.

When told of Ms. Meloni’s position, American officials say, President Biden pushed back, wanting an explicit reference to reproductive rights and at least a reaffirmation of support for abortion rights from last year’s communiqué. Several other G7 members agreed with Mr. Biden, according to the American and European officials familiar with the discussion who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss delicate negotiations.

In the end, the word “abortion” does not appear in the communiqué, but it does reference last year’s final statement from the G7 summit in Japan, saying, “We reiterate our commitments in the Hiroshima Leaders’ Communiqué to universal access to adequate, affordable and quality health services for women, including comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights for all.”

The Hiroshima statement specifically included “addressing access to safe and legal abortion and post-abortion care.”